Shugoki/Main
"We are far from home, we samurai. Each new land teaches us new things. Each new ally makes us stronger. The shugoki: once our guardians, they have become as family. And what more fierce protectors could we ask for? The kanabo is an unreasonable weapon; clumsy, dangerous... unless you possess the strength of a demon and an unbreakable will." Shugoki is a playable hero class in For Honor. Overview The Shugoki appear slow and cumbersome. Don’t let that fool you -- they possess the strength of a giant and an indomitable will. It takes incredible fortitude to be the guardians of your people. You must defend them at all costs and put their needs above your own. This has never been an issue for the Shugoki. Their weapon of choice seems unwieldy. But in their hands, it is as deadly and precise as any blade. Armor The Shugoki wears massive wooden plates protecting his torso and arms. An obi sash around his waist and a nawa belt hold the garments together. Unlike their comrades, he only wears a hakama with cloth and leather straps attached, with no noticeable shirt or torso garment under their wooden plates. The Shugoki does not wear a kabuto but instead wears a somen mask that gives him the face of an Oni, a Japanese demon with the superhuman strength to wield the kanabo with ease. The somen is typically accompanied by a cloth neckguard and a topknot in various styles. Weapon Kanabo - This traditional club is so large that it takes a powerful, but also skilled warrior to wield it correctly, even more than the nodachi. It can deliver a crippling blow with every hit, but its weight tends to leave the user open for counter-attacks if it misses. Trivia *Shugoki (Kanji: 守護鬼) literally translates to 'guardian demon' in Japanese. *Unlike other Samurai Heroes whose mask is either the military half mask, the mempo (Kensei and Orochi), or a non-military full mask (Nobushi and Hitokiri), the mask the Shugoki wears is the military full face mask, the somen. **Two of the Shugoki's newest helm cosmetic from the Marching Fire update, Kiku no Sekku and Ryutora, do use a mask similar to a mempo. *The Shugoki is the largest hero in the game, even taller than the Lawbringer, the Hero with the largest natural health pool at 150. **Shugoki is also one of two Heroes who has the ability to heal themselves without the aide of Feats or Boosts, as his Demon's Embrace move heals him for 20 upon a successful hug. The other Hero is Shaman. *The Shugoki's design is based off of the Oni (鬼; lit. "demon" or "ogre"), having the stature of one, wearing a mask with the face as fierce as an Oni and carrying a kanabo, which is a weapon greatly associated with the Oni (to the point that there is an idiom for their relation). **Some of his moves also reference the Oni, such as Demon's Embrace and Charge of the Oni. Even his out of lock running attack move, Crashing Thunder, makes reference to the Oni as they are often depicted as bringers of thunderstorms. **The design of the kanabo is also likely inspired by Japanese folklore of the Oni. Whereas the kanabo in actual warfare is much more slim, akin to a bat, those seen used by an Oni in fiction have a much thicker, thus heavier, end to reflect the immense strength required to wield the exaggerated weapon. **Coincidentally, "Oni" was the pre-release name of the Orochi. *It is also very apparent that aside from the Oni, the Shugoki received influences from Sumo and their wrestlers. **This is apparent in a couple of factors, such as their large and thick body (compared to the more muscular body physique the Oni are usually depicted with), along with mannerism that resembles a stereotypical sumo wrestler, especially the idea of them slapping their belly. Some cosmetics also reflect elements of sumo: ***Some of the chest armor pieces such as the Okuda set includes a tsuna (綱, lit. "rope"), a special belt that is the recognizable symbol of the Yokozuna, the highest rank achievable by a sumo wrestler. ***The Sumo and the Sole T emotes mimic the ritualistic stomping before a match. ***The Kimarite and Kinjite executions, noted below. ***The Kachi-nokiri and Joi-jin signatures. *Shugoki is the only Hero whose walking animation is the same as his free roam animation, likely due to his free roam (2.45 m/s) being the slowest, therefore having the smallest gap between speeds with the Walking Speed (1.5 m/s). Executions *"One Inch Punch" is a reference to the martial arts move made famous by Bruce Lee. It is intended to be a practice exercise, but has become popularized more as a special combat move in pop media. *"Shugoki Smash!" is likely a reference to the Hulk, who is known for his popular shout, "Hulk! Smash!" along with scenes where the Hulk swings his adversary above before slamming them into the ground. *"The Mountain" is a reference to Game of Thrones, specifically the character Gregor Clegane whose nickname is "The Mountain who Ride" or simply "The Mountain." In one scene in the series, Gregor kills his foe by crushing their head in a similar way Shugoki does in this execution. *"Dyspepsia" is the medical term for indigestion, referring to when discomfort or pain is felt in the upper abdomen, typically after having eaten something. *"Kimarite" refers to the Sumo term for "finishing blow" (決まり手). This reference to Sumo is clear in the use of the harite (張り手; "slap strike") together with the ritualistic stomping. *"Kinjite" translates to "forbidden move" or "forbidden hand" (禁じ手), referring to moves that are illegal or a foul in Sumo and Shogi, or are restricted (hence forbidden) by one's own spiritual policies in martial arts. **In Sumo's list of forbidden moves, both the act of jabbing the solar plexus and grabbing the opponent's throat are listed. In the execution, Shugoki performs both of these actions. **It is noted in the list that the harite noted above for Kimarite is a move restricted from use by junior wrestlers, but are allowed for use by senior ones. *"Samurai Senton" references the pro wrestling move where the attacking wrestler jumps over an opponent. Unlike a press or splash, the attacker falls on their opponent lower back first or in a sitting position. Quotes *'Japanese': 潔く死ね (Isagiyoku shine) - English: "Prudently die!" or "Accept your death!" **Successful Demon's Embrace *'Japanese': 我が手中にあり (Waga shuchuu ni ari) - English: "It's within my hands." **Charging Heavy Attack *'Japanese': これまでじゃ (Koremade ja) - English: "This is it!" or "This is as far as you'll go!" **Kinjite (Execution) *'Japanese': この手で葬ってやろう (Kono te de houmutte yarou) - English: "You'll be buried by my hands!" **Shiryou Avenger (Execution) *'Japanese': 頭を叩き割ってやらねばな― (Atama wo tatakiwatte yaraneba na) - English: "I've gotta crush that skull of yours!" **Samurai Senton (Execution)